A month ago, someone on one of the Facebook mommy groups I am part of was asking for a volunteer to do a review on Jamberry Nails. I'll be honest, I rarely wear make up, I prefer to wear PJ's pants and my idea of dressing up is putting on jeans and a decent t-shirt. I'm not girly. But I do enjoy having my nails painted pretty colours. Even if I usually ruin it before I even leave the salon.

I jumped at the chance to do a review. I figured these things wouldn't live through a week in my life with all the dishes, the hot showers and the general wear and tear. I had my doubts about how easy the application was supposed to be. I wanted to see first hand how well these nails could stand up against my day-to-day life.

Jamberry nails, believe it or not, are gluten-free, latex-free, non-toxic and vegan friendly. They do not damage nails like acrylics and gel nails can.

Angela sent me a small package that contained a nail file, cuticle pusher, half of a sheet of nails, two alcohol wipes and instructions and I got to work the day I received them. (I'll admit, I was so excited to put them on that the second I could hide in the bathroom from my son and husband for a moment of peace, I dove into applying them - which means I didn't get photos along the way... It was that or spend about 6 hours trying to apply them with the help of an 18 month old who would probably just want to stick them to his belly...)

Here's what a full sheet of nails looks like.

The application process was very straight forward.

1. Clean unpolished nails with alcohol wipe and push the cuticles back.2. Match nail to the nail wrap that best fits.3. Peel off nail wrap and warm with a blow-dryer for 3-5 seconds or until soft and flexible.4. When warm, press the wrap onto the nail. Apply firm pressure around the edges to adhere the wrap to the nail. Use rubber cuticle pusher to seal the wrap around the base of the cuticle. 5. Trim the top with scissors and file off and remaining wrap using a downward motion.6. Apply heat and pressure to the wrap again until it is bonded to the nail.

Pretty simple, right? I did have a bit of trouble with cutting the nail wraps on my right hand, but that's just because scissors are not made with left-handers in mind. I had to file those nails a bit extra to clean up the bad chop job I did on a few of them. I was surprised at how easily they were to position on my fingers, and reposition if I found it was crooked. These nail wraps are very forgiving!I think I would change how I did my nails a bit next time - instead of filing before (which isn't actually said, but I think would be the normal course of action) I would wait and cut the nail with the nail wrap on it and then file to shape afterwards. A couple of my nails had a bit of a wrap-overhang because I couldn't quite cut close enough to the nail with the angle etc. I think doing this would provide a smoother and more precise look to it. (Though it did work out doing it the way I did!) There is no "right" way to apply them and for some people one method may work, but not for others. It's really all about what works for you.

The pattern I received is fun but subtle, which is just what I prefer for my nails. There is a huge assortment of patterns, colours and designs to chose from.

For a full sheet of nail wraps, it's $17 (tax and shipping are extra) but there's an everyday sale of [Buy three, get one free] It may seem like a fair amount of money but for the amount of applications you can get from one sheet, it's way cheaper than a manicure!!

I didn't think that they would survive a week in my life. Or at least survive and still look decent. In the past week, I have gone swimming in a decently warm pool twice, had a hot shower and blow dried my hair every day, washed at least two sinks full of dishes in hot water each day and just general household and mom things. I thought the heat from blowdrying my hair or soaking them for an hour in swimming pool water would cause them to lift. After all, the removal process is to heat them for 15 seconds and then pull off.

I have gotten tons of compliments on them. Many people are surprised when I tell them it's not polish. And some have commented on how the gloss from the vinyl nail wrap makes them look freshly done, which I definitely agree!

I've had them on for a week now and one little corner of the first nail I applied is started to bump a little bit (which I take full responsibility for as I had peeled that corner up quite a few times while applying) but the rest are fully intact.

Day 1 ----------------------------- Day 9

Would I use them again?YES! I love the look of them and the ease. But my favourite is the durability of these nail wraps. Totally worth every penny!

Do they last?YES! They have survived a week and a bit on my nails, and I haven't been gentle on them! I think I can even get another week or more, easily, use with them (I'll be keeping them on and will keep you updated on when they come off!)

Are they simple to use?Yes and no. It is easier than nail polish? Most definitely! I am terrible with nail polish and rarely use anything darker than a nude-pink on my nails because I get it all over the skin and can't get it smooth and usually end up gunning it up before it's dry. These were a little tricky to apply on my right hand, when it came to the cutting part, but seriously, overall, they were simple! And there was no need for special equipment - I used my normal hairdryer to heat the nail wraps before applying.

Is it worth the cost?YES! The half of a sheet of nail wraps I got could potentially be used for another application (though the design wouldn't be seen on a few and it would just be a plain blue nail. but it could still work) Which means that one FULL sheet could easily be enough for three (possibly four!) applications. Which, at $17 per sheet (Buy Three, Get One Free), is WAAAAY cheaper than a manicure in a salon. And you don't have to breath in the yucky fumes or be available on their schedule.

Are they safe for children?YES! They are latex-free, gluten-free, non-toxic and vegan friendly. Jamberry Juniors is aimed for children at any age! Does your three year old like looking at your fancy nails? Not sure about putting polish on their fingers since they end up in their mouth all the time? These are the perfect solution - they are perfectly safe and will last long! There's no chipping and no residue. Imagine the fun of having a Mom and Daughter Spa Party with a few of your close mommy friends and their kidlets!

Jamberry Juniors - Nails done on Angela's six year old daughter. How cute are these?!

A bit about Angela, my Jamberry Nail consultant :

Angela is a stay-at-home-mom with two children, a three year old son and a six year old daughter. Her family was in need of some extra income to help with the purchase of a house but didn't have a ton of time to commit to working while running the household and caring for her kids. A friend told her about Jamberry coming to Canada and Angela jumped on board.After being a consultant for only 2.5 months, she has been promoted numerous times, gotten cash bonuses and has been having a blast working!She does all sorts of parties : Mother-Daughter, Mom's Nights Out, Spa Sleepovers, etc. Angela will attend and help out with applications as needed.

Angela can be reached on her Jamberry page or her Facebook page. Book your party and get some awesome host rewards, listed below!

Host Rewards!

* I reviewed this product with a free sample provided by Angela, but the views are entirely my own